The invention relates to a dispenser for pre-inked disposable striking lines to be used by carpenters, bricklayers, paperhangers and other workers in marking straight lines on various surfaces.
In the past, most lines used to strike or mark a straight line have been lines loaded with dry powdered chalk and these lines are retractable into a closed container filled with powdered chalk. But powdered chalk as a marking agent has its disadvantages, especially in areas of high humidity.
If the striking line is retracted into the container while wet or moist, the powdered chalk will become caked and will not deposit evenly onto the line. During periods of high humidity, the powdered chalk inside the container will tend to cake, making the line unworkable, and on windy days the chalk can be blown off the line, making it unworkable. Moreover, chalk lines must be constantly retracted and re-chalked after each use, which takes valuable time by the worker involved.
An object of my invention is a striking line having a uniform deposit of liquid marking agent which does not blow off in the wind and which can be economically disposed after use, thus eliminating the need to retract the line into a container.
A further object of my invention provides a striking line dispenser made of molded plastic material containing a spool of ink-soaked line, an air-tight cover for the container, an annular gasket surrounding the line as it exits from the container, a knife-edged cutter for the line mounted on the cover of the container, and a clear plastic window in the cover to observe the amount of line remaining on the spool.
Preferably my invention includes a sealable throw-away molded plastic dispenser having an open top, a molded plastic cover including an axle which rotatably supports a spool of ink-soaked striking line within the dispenser, and a gasket tightly sealing the cover into the open top of the dispenser. A second annular gasket in the cover closely surrounds the line as it exits from the sealed dispenser to prevent evaporation of the ink within the dispenser. The cover also contains a metal cutter for cutting the line and a clear plastic window for observing the line remaining on the spool. The dispenser also includes a hinged plastic lid which fits over the cover to protect the exposed end of the line and the cutter when not in use.